One of the most common side effects of starting the ketogenic diet is the “keto flu.” This term describes the often unpleasant, fatigue-inducing symptoms that occur as the body adjusts from a high-carbohydrate to a low-carbohydrate diet. During the keto flu, the body’s stored glucose begins depleting, and the body starts adapting to producing and utilizing ketones as energy. (2)
Thanks for reaching out. I don't currently have any meal plans, but I am working on some and hope to have them up soon. I completely understand your fear, but on Keto, we don't count calories. That's not to say you want to start eating 5000 calories a day, but if you remember to keep your macros balanced with both fat and protein you won't even have to worry about counting calories. I don't ever look at calories and honestly have no idea how many calories I eat on any given day. I know when I first started my calories were pretty low but after I had got the hang of it, they went up to like 1500 a day. After about two months I didn't watch my calories at all. The number I pay the most attention to is fat. I have to get plenty of fat, or I will stall, and I don't feel as good. I will be sure to email you when I have my plans up so you can take a look at them.
The keto diet is known for helping people lose a few pounds very quickly, says Becky Kerkenbush, RD, a clinical dietitian at Watertown Regional Medical Center. Carbs hold on to more water than protein or fat, so when you stop eating them, your body releases all that extra H2O by making you pee more. As a result, the scale might read a few pounds lower, and you may look a bit leaner.
I love your site but your note about Diabetic Ketoacidosis is completely wrong. DKA is not something that happens because your body produces too many ketones. It is something that happens when your body produces too many ketones, and you don’t have any insulin in your system. As long as a Type 1 Diabetic takes insulin they will NOT go into DKA. Especially since DKA requires high ketones, high sugars, and low insulin.
Don’t stick to chicken and steak just because you’re comfortable cooking them. Make dinner time the place where you can try new meats and recipes that increase your keto recipe resources. “At lunch and dinner, you can be creative and experiment,” Weaver says. “Just focus on cooking meat—pork, chicken, lamb, beef, or seafood. Meat is rich in iron and fish contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D. Use only organic oils, such as avocado oil, coconut oil, and olive oil.”
Spices are an easy way of adding more flavor, vitamins and antioxidants into your food. Furthermore, they are low in carbohydrates. Make sure that you're using fresh, organic spices for maximum flavor and nutrients. Some spices sold in packets found at the local grocery should not be used, as they often contain fillers that can increase your carbohydrate consumption, thus putting you out of ketosis.26
Achieving ketosis is a pretty straightforward, but it can seem complicated and confusing with all of the information out there.4If you want to learn more about ketosis and the scientific process around it, you can visit a very in-depth discussion about on Dr. Peter Attia’s website. Here’s the bottom line on what you need to do, ordered in levels of importance:

I like it – and I’m surprised I like it. I’m only down 5 lbs. after a month but I’m down 3 inches on my waist and 2 inches on my hips. I do feel better physically and I love not being hungry! I used to be that person who could eat pasta like a lumberjack – now I often don’t even finish my food. I have had a hard time sticking to 20 net carbs, I usually end up in the high 20’s somewhere, but I’m in ketosis according to the testing strips. It’s much harder to stick to 20 net as a vegetarian. Everything you eat has some level of carbs and they do add up. But overall, this is the only thing I’ve lost any weight or inches on in about 7 or 8 years. Starvation used to work until I hit 45 and then, forget it, I could eat 700 calories a day and not lose a pound. I’m so excited *something* is actually working.

“Eggs have a lot of vitamins like vitamin A, B complex, D, K, E, calcium, and zinc,” says Ryan Weaver, a personal trainer and keto enthusiast. “That’s why eggs are an excellent choice for breakfast when you follow the keto diet. To avoid getting bored, you can try different ways of preparing the eggs—boiled, fried, or baked. Also, you can combine the eggs with different foods like bacon, ham, cheddar cheese, butter, mayonnaise, so you get a different recipe each day although using the same main ingredient.”

Chickpeas are naturally high in carbs — a single cup contains 45 grams of carbohydrates.31 However, you can modify the recipe to make it more nutritious. Try this recipe from Pete Evans, which replaces the chickpeas with beetroot.32 Beware, though, that beets have the highest sugar content of all vegetables, so consume them in very controlled amounts.

5) By now you should know both where you are and where you want to be. Those are the first steps. Now it’s time to start planning your meals. You can use these food lists to help you figure out what kinds of foods you should be eating. Remember this is not a diet plan that has an end date. This is a lifestyle change that you will pass on to your children.
The removal of many grains and fruits with such a large emphasis on fats can bring about its own set of side effects. “If not done properly — with most of your carbohydrates coming from fiber-rich vegetables — you may not be getting enough fiber, which can lead to constipation,” says Chris Mohr, PhD, RD, a sports dietitian based in Louisville, Kentucky, and co-owner of MohrResults.com. (5)

You’re absolutely gorgeous, and I am looking forward to losing more than 40 lbs. also. I’m on my third week and feel like I hit a wall. I was waking up in the morning feeling my tummy a little flatter, some clothing a bit looser, etc. and now don’t feel like that. So, I looked up foods again, and I don’t think I was eating enough fat. Thank you for a simple version and grocery list of keto foods. It helps a lot! I hope to visit again soon and report double digit weight loss! Blessings!

I am also working to share personal success stories on my blog. If you are planning to start this keto diet, please take before pictures, progress pictures, keep a food diary, and keep track of your weight and measurements. Then when you are ready (maybe at your halfway point, or once you reach your goal weight, you can send me your results for me to share with others).
Although the exact role of the ketogenic diet in mental and brain disorders is unclear, there has been proof of its efficacy in patients with schizophrenia. And, to boot, the ketogenic diet works to reverse many conditions that develop as a side effect of conventional medications for brain disorders, like weight gain, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risks. More research is needed to understand the role of the ketogenic diet in treating or improving schizophrenia, as the current available studies are either animal studies or case studies, but the benefits of a high fat, low carbohydrate diet in neurology is promising.

During week 1 (and sometimes week 2) your body is transitioning to this whole new metabolic state, and there may be some initial side effects. These are collectively known as the "keto flu". The good thing is that if you don't take them for granted and think you're "superman" and that your body will be different, you can easily prevent these symptoms.

The current hypothesis is that the brain functions differently on ketones than on glucose, and this is what causes certain brains to reduce epileptic seizures. I would then also hypothesize that certain people who feel that “brain fog” lifted on ketosis is due to either placebo effect OR their brain actually functioning differently on ketones vs glucose.

Affiliate Disclosure: There are links on this site that can be defined as affiliate links. This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase something when clicking on the links that take you through to a different website. By clicking on the links, you are in no way obligated to buy.

Medical Disclaimer: The material on this site is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your physician before beginning any diet or exercise program.